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by KRISTINE FRAZAO | The National News Desk
TOPICS:
WASHINGTON (TNND) — An emboldened Vladimir Putin appears to be pressing ahead in his war in Ukraine, as many in Washington are working to figure out what consequences, if any, will deter him.
One week ago, President Donald Trump spoke to Putin on the phone.
It was a call Trump said yielded "no progress," and each day that’s followed has shown a man whose patience is wearing thin, especially in light of yet another aggressive and violent round of assaults.
Russia launched more than 700 drones and missiles at multiple regions in Ukraine on Wednesday, just hours after Trump announced shipments of weapons to Ukraine for its defense would be resumed.
In an interview with CNN, Ukrainian Parliament member Oleksiy Goncharenko said Putin is sending a message.
In Malaysia, on Thursday, Secretary of State Marco Rubio conveyed Trump’s frustration to Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov
"We feel as if we've dedicated a lot of time and energy to this matter and just not enough progress has been made," Rubio said. "We need to see a road map moving forward about how this conflict can conclude."
The conclusion to a nearly three-and-a-half-year war has proven to be a daunting task.
Previous efforts to cripple Russia's economy have continuously failed with countries like China, India and Brazil picking up the slack, buying Russian oil that’s helped fund its war.
Trump appeared shocked that his perceived friendship with Putin had not helped to turn the tide in the war, which he once suggested he could end on his first day in office.
"We get a lot of bull***t thrown at us by Putin if you want to know the truth. He's very nice all the time, but it turns out to be meaningless," Trump said in the Oval Office on Tuesday.
Meanwhile, a battered Ukraine is once again pleading for help.
In an interview with CNN, former Vice President Mike Pence said, "Vladimir Putin doesn't want peace. Vladimir Putin wants Ukraine.”
Still, a bipartisan bill in Congress is picking up steam. It seeks to impose severe penalties on countries that buy Russian oil. Trump said he is now considering signing the legislation.
